Anime never stops. As the Winter 2021 season comes to an end, Spring 2021 begins. As always, there are plenty of reasons to be excited for the upcoming few months. New shows such as Ijiranaide, Nagatoro-san, To Your Eternity, and the remake of Shaman King will hopefully find an audience, but not every Spring 2021 anime is starting from scratch. In fact, this season is packed with sequels and spin-offs.
Along with ongoing series like One Piece, some pretty big names in anime are returning this season for a fresh batch of episodes. Whether a fan of shounen, shoujo, or isekai, Spring 2021 offers something for just about everyone. What are some anime sequels and spin-offs coming out this spring?
10 My Hero Academia Season 5
Debut date: March 27, 2021.
My Hero Academia has dominated the shounen scene over the last few years, cementing the likes of All Might, Deku, and Bakugo as modern icons of the industry. While season 4 was perhaps the weakest in the show's run, the anime remained perfectly watchable, and season 5 could very well prove to be an improvement.
This season should revolve around the Joint Training Arc, a saga that sees Class 1-A and 1-B facing off in an array of team matches. Tournament arcs are the bread and butter of battle shounen anime.
9 Fruits Basket: The Final
Debut date: April 6, 2021.
With its third season, Fruits Basket will bring to an end Tohru's story. Following the opening season's somewhat lighthearted tone, Fruits Basket shifted towards a more mature and somber territory. The anime has touched upon some challenging subjects such as abuse while exploring the complicated history of the Sohma family.
Season 3 is destined to follow suit and complete any of the show's remaining storylines. For newcomers to the series, this is the best time to give Fruits Basket a try.
8 Nomad: Megalo Box 2
Debut date: April 4, 2021.
2018's Megalo Box told a complete story, following Joe's rise from underground fights to a championship bout. It is not an anime that demands a sequel, however, that does not mean one shouldn't be excited for the release of Nomad: Megalo Box 2.
Set seven years after the events of the original series, Nomad sees Joe once again reduced to Junk Dog status. Older and battle-worn, Joe's lifestyle has clearly taken a toll on the warrior. TMS Entertainment will once again be handling the anime's production.
7 Zombieland Saga: Revenge
Debut date: April 9, 2021.
Idol shows are both extremely popular and very niche, but there are a few anime that serve as welcoming entry points into the genre. Zombieland Saga happens to be one of those series. A comedy centering around a re-animated assortment of girls who find themselves in the idol group Franchouchou, Zombieland Saga is funny, filled with likable characters, and has a decent soundtrack.
Not much has been revealed about the sequel season, but Zombieland Saga: Revenge will be created by MAPPA and, presumably, maintain its predecessor's blend of drama and humor.
6 How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Ω
Debut date: April 9, 2021.
Isekai anime are hardly in short supply, but there are a few properties that stand out from the crowd. While not necessarily the most unique show out there, How Not to Summon a Demon Lord endeared itself to viewers through its rather effective comedy, courtesy of the protagonist's desperate attempts to maintain his confident facade.
How Not to Summon a Demon Lord Ω will continue to follow Diablo, Rem, and Shera's misadventures, offering plenty of laughs, action, and fan service along the way.
5 Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun Season 2
Debut date: April 17, 2021.
On the surface, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun seems like a show that is destined to be painfully mediocre. Its premise, which involves a human who is sold to a demon and then enrolled into a supernatural school, does little to suggest this anime is anything more than a generic wish-fulfillment series. Despite not treading any new ground, Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun shows that cliches are fine when they are matched with a charismatic roster of characters and an energetic presentation.
Welcome to Demon School! Iruma-kun's season 2 might not be on everyone's watch list but it really should be.
4 Moriarty the Patriot Season 2
Debut date: April 4, 2021.
A clever re-imagining of the Sherlock Holmes mythos, Moriarty the Patriot shifts the focus to William James Moriarty while still retaining many of the elements synonymous with the source material. In this adaptation, Moriarty's criminal schemes are driven by a desire to shake, if not break, Great Britain's social class system, one that heavily favors the rich and powerful.
Moriarty the Patriot is an easy recommendation for anyone seeking a thriller anime with plenty of mind games.
3 The Slime Diaries: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime
Debut date: April 6, 2021.
While fans wait for the debut of the second part of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime's season 2, they can at least watch a spin-off show. A gag series revolving around the everyday antics of this universe's main characters, Slime Diaries should provide some insight into Rimuru Tempest's more mundane (but still important) responsibilities.
Slime Diaries is difficult to recommend for those who are not already enamored with this franchise, but it should not be missed by fans.
2 Cardfight!! Vanguard: overDress
Debut date: April 3, 2021.
Cardfight!! Vanguard has been a constant presence in the anime scene for the last decade, serving as something of an alternative to Yu-Gi-Oh. While the franchise has produced hundreds of episodes, Cardfight!! Vanguard: overDress is basically a new series, so newcomers seeking a trading card-themed show should not be discouraged from trying it out.
OverDress follows Yu-yu Kondo, a teenager with a unique ability to read people's hearts and a destiny that involves Vanguard duels and Team Blackout.
1 Hetalia World★Stars
Debut date: April 1, 2021.
Hetalia fans can rejoice as a new series is on the way, this time an adaptation of World★Stars. The latter's manga debuted in 2014 as a sequel/spin-off to Hetalia: Axis Powers, and it generally offers similar humor. Like Axis Powers, World★Stars revolves around human representatives of countries such as Japan, Italy, and Germany. Along with some political and social commentary, Hetalia tends to be very silly.
Hetalia World★Stars will be an ONA series, aka an original net animation.